Image: Fontana Maggiore (Perugia, Umbria)

Later this afternoon, we will release an itinerary perfect for discovering much of what this area has to offer. We’ve selected Perugia, the capitol of the region, as our ground zero. Perugia has a violent ancient history. We’re talking about the stuff that movies are made of - complete with dominating kings and conquering armies of warriors. We’ll begin at the town center which is rich with Etruscan architecture and venture out to sights like the Cathedral of San Lorenzo, the Church of San Severo and its frescoes by masters Perugino and Raphael.

We’ll look at the typical foods of the region like truffles, Torta di Pasqua and of course, the one thing that enters the mind of most foodies when discussing Perugia - chocolate. We then round out our itinerary with a look at the some of our favorite places to eat like Caffe di Perugia, La Taverna and Ristorante del Sole.

And tomorrow, we begin again with another itinerary for our next destination in beautiful Umbria. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of friends we will introduce throughout the week, we’ll continue this look into Umbria for the next seven days. Hopefully, by the time next Sunday arrives, you’ll understand the attraction to this wonderful destination in Italy.

Just arrived by special courier: Italian lentils from Castelluccio and the prized truffles from the region of Umbria. Just in time for two of the biggest dinner events of the holiday!

by Donna Petrongolo

About Nine (the film)
Nine is a 2009 American musical film directed by Rob Marshall. The screenplay, by Michael Tolkin and Anthony Minghella, is based on Arthur Kopit’s book for the 1982 Tony Award-winning musical of the same name, which was derived from an Italian play by Mario Fratti inspired by Federico Fellini’s autobiographical film 8½. Maury Yeston composed the music and wrote the lyrics for the songs. The film is scheduled to be released in the US on December 18, 2009, in New York and Los Angeles and open for wide release on December 25, 2009. The principal cast consists of Academy Award winners Daniel Day-Lewis, Judi Dench, Nicole Kidman, Marion Cotillard, Penélope Cruz, and Sophia Loren; Academy Award nominee and Golden Globe Award winner Kate Hudson; and Grammy winner Fergie.

The Plot
Having reached the age of forty, director Guido Contini (Daniel Day-Lewis) is facing a midlife crisis that is stifling his creativity and leading him into a variety of complicated romantic involvements. As he struggles to complete his latest film, he is forced to balance the numerous formative women in his life, including his wife (Marion Cotillard), his mistress (Penélope Cruz), his film star muse (Nicole Kidman), his confidant and costume designer (Judi Dench), an American fashion journalist (Kate Hudson), the whore from his youth (Fergie), and his mother (Sophia Loren).

by Donna Petrongolo

by Donna Petrongolo

by Paul McGregor

In the need to kick off that holiday spirit? Look no more than your nearest TV set. Public Televisions Great Performances is featuring a two hour special broadcast of Andrea Bocelli’s My Christmas.

The performance includes appearances by several of his song collaborators like Mary J. Blige, Reba McEntire, Natalie Cole and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

If you don’t have time this morning, your in luck, there will be a re-broadcast later this afternoon from 4:00pm to 6:00pm EST.

BONUS: We’ll be giving away tickets to Andrea Bocelli’s concert at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey as well as a few CD’s. And a chance to get the CD for others on your holiday shopping list. Don’t forget to come visit Abbondanza! at 12:noon on Monday November 30th.

by Donna Petrongolo

Legendary Tenor Andrea Bocelli has catapulted himself into immortality with his new holiday CD My Christmas. The celebration of holiday classics is a glorious collaboration of efforts, as artists Mary J Blige, Natalie Cole, The Tabernacle Choir and The Muppets sideline Bocelli - giving voice to the true spirit of Christmas. Trust us, this one’s a keeper.

The Details

Album: My Christmas

Song Titles

• White Christmas / Bianco Natale
• Angels We Have Heard On High
• Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
• The Christmas Song   
• The Lords Prayer
• What Child Is This
• Adeste Fidelis
• O Tannenbaum
• Jingle Bells
• Silent Night
• Blue Christmas
• Cantique De Noel
• Caro Gesu Bambino
• I Believe
• God Bless Us Everyone

Visit us on Monday, November 30th to learn how to get the album free via Abbondanza! Magazine.

by Nancy S. Mure

So you’ve decided last minute that you’d like to cook Thanksgiving dinner. Don’t fret, the following recipe and suggestions should be all you need to whip together a last minute meal with minimum hassle and maximum flavor. Don’t worry, we’ve made it as simple as possible, even a novice can look like a star with this easy to prepare meal. In fact, if you share it with someone else, we’re certain you’ll also achieve maximum kudos for your culinary skills.

Parmesan Turkey Scallopini

Prep Time: 5 min / Cook Time: 25 min / Serves: 2

Ingredients

1/4 C + 2 T Olive Oil (optional: Garlic Infused)
8-12 ounces turkey breast cutlets (thinly sliced)
2 Cloves of Garlic (minced)
1 Onion (small)
1 Small Carrot (diced)
1 Celery Stalk (peeled and diced)
Flour (for dredging)
1 Bay Leaf
1 T Butter
1/4 C Chicken Broth
1/2 C White Wine
Salt & Pepper (to taste)


Directions

Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a 12-inch skillet. Sprinkle the turkey breast cutlets with salt and pepper and then roll in the dredging flour until well coated.

Once the oil in the pan has heated, add and cook the turkey breast cutlets, minced garlic, diced onion, carrot and celery. Cook on a medium heat until the cutlets are a light golden brown on both sides.

Once the cutlets are golden brown, remove them from the pan and set aside either covered or in a warmer, but reserving the liquid in the skillet.

To the liquid in the skillet - add butter, bay leaf, grated parmesan, chicken broth and the white wine. Cook for a few minutes to reduce (approximately 5 minutes). Taste for salt and pepper.

Strain the reduction and either serve on the side or pour over turkey, mashed potatoes and stuffing.


Starter and Meal Completion Suggestions

To start the meal we recommend that you prepare a small simple salad. Consider spinach with crumbled bacon, roasted red peppers, shavings of Grana Padana and a drizzle of olive oil. Alternatively, you can simply cut a head of bib lettuce in four, serving a quarter portion per person - accompanied by freshly sliced tomatoes, and a light dressing.

As for libations, you can go non-alcoholic with a favorite sparkling or spring water. If you prefer wine, both red and white can be used for this meal from start to finish.

Side Dishes

• Pasta: Non-conformists need not worry, spaghetti will work quite well with this recipe.

• Mashed Potatoes: Which can easily become decadent by whipping in some pureed garlic and or grated cheese.

• Broccoli or Green Beans: Sauteed with garlic, parmesan cheese and olive oil.

• Cranberries: Which you can jazz up by blending in 1 part raspberry preserves to 3 parts cranberries.

• Stuffing Which you can create on the stove in pinch by purchasing a bag of premium seasoned stuffing from Arnold or Pepperidge Farms. Your stuffing will take on a different life if you consider mixing in either sausage and bacon bits or chopped oysters and onions.

• Mushrooms: Select a mixture of two or three varieties; sauté with butter, simply season with salt and pepper.

Dessert Suggestions

To save time and hassle, purchase either pumpkin or apple pie. To jazz it up a little - serve it ala mode with cranberry ice cream (all you have to do is purchase a premium vanilla ice cream and blend in 1/3 cranberry with 2/3 ice cream - whip well and either let rest in the freezer to maintain ice cold - or make tableside and have it as soft as a gelato.


Bonus

Let us know how your meal turns out and we’ll provide you with recipes for leftovers and a few holiday goodies. Send us a photo of your meal and we’ll send you a few coupons to help ease the pain of holiday shopping.

Happy Thanksgiving & Buon Appetito!